


power from heart.

by memedic



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Griffon is his built-in anti-pity alarm, Just Some Sad Self-Reflection, Some light descriptions of death, V(itale), Vergil is mentioned, based upon the headcanon that v's appearance is based on vergil's dead lover, happy birthday V even though it's still april as i'm posting this, nothing really happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 18:12:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18665695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memedic/pseuds/memedic
Summary: As he sat amongst the rubble, he turned the pages of his book, he could always admire the artistry of it. Each page was unique…And every page made the book what it was. Hm.





	power from heart.

It had been one week since he’d seen Dante’s defeat at the hands of Urizen, one week since he had promised Nero that they would regroup within a month to re-attempt an impossible battle. He had said that he would investigate the causes, but there was nothing he didn’t already know about the situation. He’d been trying to save people from the Qliphoth, with disastrously little success. The sight of Shadow or Griffon would cause panic, and that would only alert nearby demons to their presence.

 

It was harsh, and any lives he had saved he’d given them the safest routes out of the city and hoped that they would be able to live. Those who died… He couldn’t give them the grace of a proper burial, if their bodies had not already been drained by the Qliphoth he would simply close their eyes and leave them, silent and mournful.

 

V had to persist, though. Even a single drop of blood could be their saving grace when the time came.

 

Of course, his body would give him constant reminders of how steadily weaker it was becoming. Every time he acted out of his limits he would be forced to rest. As he sat amongst the rubble, he turned the pages of his book, he could always admire the artistry of it. Each page was unique…

 

And every page made the book what it was. Hm.

 

It got harder to escape thinking about his fate, especially when left alone. Griffon was surveying for survivors- or demons- and couldn’t bother him out of his own head. Urizen had barely awoken, yet he was strong enough to defeat Dante… Which had meant that Vergil really had no use for his humanity, seeing as he had desperately sought power more than anything when he had torn V from his flesh.

 

If he could have his choice, he would stay out of this situation. If his body weren’t frail and dying, he would’ve moved to some quiet place in the country to life his life out anew. In a way, he was trying to do so now. He made no confessions to Dante or Nero of his true identity, though he suspected the former had his suspicions. If Urizen was truly defeated before he passed the turning point, would he be able to tell them the truth?

 

“Hey… HEY! SHAKESPEARE! I’M TALKING TO YA’!”

 

V snapped the book shut, looking up at an irate Griffon.  “What have you found?”

 

“Nothing! No humans, no demons, coast is clear.”

 

So they’ve reached a part of the city that had been properly evacuated, then? Untouched by the Qliphoth, it’s roots were still spreading. Eventually, all of the city would be gone, but for now... 

 

“Then we should keep looking for survivors.”

 

Griffon made a sound that was similar to a growl, beating his wings with an impatient fury, stopping V from getting up.

 

“Actually, smart guy, you should be resting! You’ve been overworking yourself, if you keep going like this you ain’t gonna last until the kid comes back!”

 

So that’s what it was. A grin tugs at his lips as he tucked his book into his coat. “I wasn’t aware you were worried about me.”

 

“Wh- I’m not!” The summon squawks, defensive. “If you kick the bucket, so do I! We got things to do, things to  _ kill _ !”

 

He shook his head, smoothly walking around Griffon (who gasped in offense at being ignored), only to be stopped again by someone he didn’t expect. Shadow rumbled at his feet, looking up at him with an unreadable look in their eyes.

 

“See! Even the kitty’s telling you to take a break! Listen, like I said, there ain’t no humans to save here, and there ain’t no demons that we have to fight off! Let’s take advantage of it while we can!”

 

V sighed, there really wasn’t much of a point in arguing with them. They had, after all, been trying their hardest to meet with his demands. While he didn’t believe himself worthy of a break… They did certainly deserve their rest. “Alright… We’ll head in there.”

 

He pointed his cane towards an untouched apartment complex. Demons had clearly ravaged the area, but they must have moved on… It was getting dark, power still ran through most of the city, most likely so emergency alerts could reach all who needed it. Some windows in the complex were still on, but it had been abandoned.

 

There were signs of demon attacks within: Slashes in the walls, dried blood on the floor. Yet no corpses… Any dead must’ve been carried off by their attackers, closer to the Qliphoth. Some were smart in that sense, they knew that if they wanted to stay in their new king’s favor, they had to prepare sacrifices.

 

This was all  _ his _ doing.

 

“Hey! V! C’mon, stop spacing!”

 

Griffon brought him back to attention, and he began to ascend up the stairs, choosing to stay at the top floor. If any attackers were incoming, he would have ample time to prepare. If a Qliphoth root sprung up and tore into the building, he would be able to escape with little chance of being crushed under the concrete.

 

Many doors had been broken in by demons, but there was one that remained intact: Tucked in the end corner of the hall, the door was locked and showed no evidence of even an attempt at being forced open. The only thing of note about it was the dried crimson of human blood splattered against it. The owner must’ve tried to flee and had failed the moment they left their home.

 

With merely a nod, Shadow knocked the knob through, and the door swung open. It was clean, untouched, save for the signs of a panic to collect valuables. The layout was fairly standard, it had opened into a living room with a small kitchen, and from there were three separate doors: Two bedrooms and a bathroom.

 

“Damn, seems like a whole family lived in this place! Kept it tidy, too!” Griffon called as he took the lead in investigating the area. “Two parents and a kid! Wonder if they made it?”

 

V doesn’t bother with an answer, such a conversation would only lead down a darker path. He wandered to the sink, finding a clean glass in one of the cabinets and trying the faucet. Nothing. He turned to the fridge, pulling it open to reveal it’s contents still intact and kept cool throughout everything. Griffon had returned to his side, and seemed more than pleased at the sight.

 

“Humans might be a lotta things, but I gotta say… Their food ain’t half bad!”

 

He pulled a water bottle from the fridge, half full. The limitations of his human form demanded that he kept himself hydrated and fed as necessary, something he’d managed by taking whatever had remained from the ruins of other homes throughout the city, but it’d been some time since his last break.

 

The water was much-needed, he only realized it when he practically chugged the remaining water down. He removed an orange from the fridge after, and then left Griffon to pick at whatever he’d wanted to have.

 

Shadow had made themselves comfortable on the couch, leaving just enough space for V himself to sit. He let his weight sink into it with a sigh, letting his cane rest against the side. He can hear Griffon cackling and eating at the same time, and he’d lecture him on manners if he didn’t already know the summon wouldn’t listen.

 

He peeled the orange and enjoyed the slices, it brought up memories of a childhood that wasn’t entirely his. Still, it made him feel warmer. He could remember every detail of his home, how many times had he chased his brother, how many times had he discovered a perfect new hiding spot?

 

V had been given these memories, Urizen would’ve found them burdensome. Vergil… Well, he honestly couldn’t say how he felt about them. Did he cherish them the same way V did? Or did Urizen’s tainted mind make him scowl? He was supposed to have all the answers, but it seemed he could only remember what Vergil had been through, not recall how he would feel if he were still here now.

 

“You holding up?”

 

Griffon’s voice brings him out of his brooding once again, and he offers a less-than-convincing smile to the familiar.

 

“As good as I’ll ever be.”

 

For all his squawking and insulting banter, Griffon did have some kind of heart. The more time they spent together, the more V would notice moments where the faux-demon was sympathetic to him… Now seemed to be such a time.

 

“Listen… You’re trying your best to save these people, I get that. But you gotta give up on ‘em.”

 

A sigh escapes his lips involuntarily. He shakes his head, looking away from Griffon and to his lap, where Shadow had taken to resting their head. “I can’t.” He mutters, stroking the top of the familiar’s head feather-lightly. “Even if I tried to, I know I wouldn’t.”

 

Flashes of dying people cross his mind, people he’d failed to save, innocents who died screaming in fear… He shuts his eyes tight, trying to blank his thoughts. It never works… it used to once. He can hear Griffon’s feathers ruffling, most likely from spreading his wingspan to make wild and erratic gestures.

 

“They’re just humans, V! Even if they don’t die now, something’s gonna happen to them! Either they hurt each other, or they meddle in something they ain’t supposed to and get themselves killed. It’s a waste of effort!”

 

A stab of pain to his heart. “She was human too.” He whispers, images of a mother that wasn’t quite his appearing in his head. “So was he.” He speaks even quieter, in even more pain. The innocent man whose appearance he wore and tainted with demonic power… Vitale.

 

Griffon is quiet, for once. Shadow rumbles softly, as if they were being affected by the heavy atmosphere they’d created. “Every time I see them… I think of them both, whether I want to or not. How they died because of his inaction, and how they’re dying because of what he’s done. I can’t stand by while he kills them… While  _ I _ kill them.”

 

He shakes, his soul feels so heavy, like he’ll cave in on himself at any moment. This is the burden that Vergil had so desperately wanted to be rid of… and what he would make sure Vergil carried to his grave.

 

“...Alright, V. You win. We’ll save the humans… but don’t beat yourself up when we can’t rescue them all. If Urizen dies…  _ When  _ Urizen dies, nobody’s gonna have to worry about dying no more… Including you and me!” V glances to Griffon, who's got his head raised high and is bearing a proud smirk.

 

Pale, soft lips smirk back. They share the fear of death, the feeling of knowing that they are unwanted… Truly, V could not ask for better companions. 

 

He cannot tell them that Vergil will not accept them when V merges, nor that unless Urizen dies within the next week, their window of opportunity will close. Perhaps they know anyway. The naive dreams of a child is what stirs in them too, after all. 

 

Griffon extends his wing, patting V on the head exactly twice with a haughty chuckle. “Alright baby poet, time for beddy-bye.” He dismissively waves the wing away, but resigns to try and sleep anyway. Any energy he can save for the coming weeks is something he needs to cherish, regardless of how his human heart screams to save as many as he can. As he shuts his eyes and relaxes into the couch, one final thought sends him into a dreamless sleep:

 

_ I’m partially used to ignoring guilt anyway. _

**Author's Note:**

> thanks visions of v: mission 1 for killing me in a single blow
> 
> i self-correct my work so sorry for any mistakes.... i just Really Like V. yes this is also kind of a continuation on my other V(itale) fic.


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